1. CONTEXT OF THE ORGANISATION

1.1. Understanding the organisation and its context

The Estonian Maritime Academy of Tallinn University of Technology (hereinafter EMERA) is a school-level academic structural unit of Tallinn University of Technology (hereinafter the University), which operates on the same principles as a school. EMERA has all of the rights and obligations of a school and a department, except where otherwise provided by the statutes of the University or the statutes of EMERA.
EMERA is the only internationally recognised competence centre of its kind in Estonia, providing multi-level maritime education and cultivating maritime research and development.
The history of EMERA goes back 100 years: on October 27, 1919, teaching began at the Tallinn Maritime School (Tallinna Merekool), which is considered to be the predecessor of EMERA. In 1991, the Estonian Maritime Education Centre (Eesti Merehariduskeskus) was established from Tallinn Maritime School, Tallinn Maritime College (Tallinna Merekolledž), and Tallinn Vocational Upper Secondary School No. 1 (Tallinna Kutsekeskkool nr 1), and in 1999 it was renamed the Estonian Maritime Academy. In 2014, the Estonian Maritime Academy was incorporated into the Tallinn University of Technology. Since 2017, EMERA has operated as a school-level structural unit of the University.
In its risk management tool, EMERA has identified external and internal issues which are relevant to EMERA’s objectives and strategic directions and which affect EMERA’s ability to achieve the results expected from its quality management system. EMERA regularly monitors and reviews information on such external and internal issues at the meetings of the Directorate and during management reviews.

1.2. Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties

In its risk management tool, EMERA has identified the relevant interested parties for its quality management system. EMERA’s main external interested parties are various international and national regulators, the University, clients, competitors, and sectoral organisations. EMERA’s main internal interested parties are EMERA students and staff.

For the purposes of ISO 9001, for EMERA:

• formal education clients are students;
• continuing education clients are continuing education students and companies/organisations that commission training;
• research and development clients are companies/organisations that commission research and knowledge services.

EMERA interested parties’ requirements that are relevant to the quality management system are identified in EMERA and University process maps. EMERA regularly monitors and reviews information obtained on its interested parties and their respective requirements during process planning and development activities.

1.3. Determining the scope of the quality management system

The scope of EMERA’s quality management system is:

• higher education and continuing education in the maritime domain, including formal and continuing education of crew members in accordance with the requirements of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers and national legislation, at the Estonian Maritime Academy;
• maritime research and development at the Estonian Maritime Academy.

1.4. Quality management system and its processes

EMERA first set out to improve its management system and implement a quality management system in 1999. The requirement for all institutions providing maritime education to develop, implement, and certify a quality management system was one of the major amendments to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) on 7 July 1995. The deadline for implementation of the requirements was 1 February 2002. The corresponding quality management system certificate was issued to EMERA by the certification body Lloyd’s Register in 2001. EMERA’s quality management system has been developed and implemented in accordance with the requirements of the ISO 9001:2015 quality management system standard published by the International Organisation for Standardization (ISO).

EMERA’s Quality Manual is the main document on EMERA’s quality management system, providing an overview of the quality management system, its structure, and its nature, and it forms a part of EMERA’s quality management system.

EMERA’s processes are described in EMERA and University process maps. EMERA’s quality management system is based on:

• international requirements:

Codex and the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers
Directive 2022/993/EC on the minimum level of training of seafarers
ISO 9001:2015 standard

• national requirements:

Maritime Safety Act
Regulation No. 96 of the Government of the Republic
Higher Education Act
Standard of Higher Education
Organisation of Research and Development Act
Tallinn University of Technology Act

• the requirements and objectives of the University:

Statutes of Tallinn University of Technology
Strategic Plan of Tallinn University of Technology
Academic Strategic Plan of Tallinn University of Technology
other University regulations

• EMERA’s internal requirements and objectives:

Statutes of the Estonian Maritime Academy
the Operational Strategy of the Estonian Maritime Academy
the Quality Manual of the Estonian Maritime Academy
other EMERA regulations

Creation, updating, and control of documented information

The management of EMERA’s quality management system regulations and process maps is described in the corresponding regulations and process maps. EMERA’s quality management system regulations are approved by an order of the Director of EMERA. EMERA uses the University’s document management system.

2. LEADERSHIP

2.1. Leadership and commitment

EMERA’s top management has taken on the responsibility for the effectiveness of and leadership for the quality management system. This will be achieved through a process-based approach, risk-based thinking, continual improvement, and ensuring that quality management is part of EMERA’s strategic management.
The purpose of EMERA’s strategic management is to achieve EMERA’s strategic objectives. EMERA’s strategic management is described in the corresponding process map.
The purpose of EMERA’s risk management is to identify circumstances, or risks, that could significantly affect EMERA’s objectives and to reduce their potential negative impact through conscious action. EMERA’s risk management is carried out through Directorate meetings on a regular basis. To stimulate risk-based thinking, EMERA’s performance management tool includes project-based risk management modules.
The implementation of corrective actions for non-conformities and improvement of EMERA’s quality management system is described in the corresponding regulation and process maps.

2.2. Quality policy

2.2.1. Establishing quality policy

EMERA’s mission is to train highly recognised experts in the maritime domain, to contribute to maritime research and development, and to provide services for the maritime sector.

EMERA’s vision is to grow into an internationally recognised centre of excellence in the maritime domain.

EMERA’s values are:
• professionalism and reliability – people working with us value self-development, participate actively in learning, research, and innovation, and respect maritime traditions;
• enterprisingness and innovation – we use modern technologies, apply flexible learning methods, and take into account society’s expectations for maritime education;
• openness and readiness to cooperate – we are open to good ideas and cooperate with partners and maritime companies in consideration of their needs.

EMERA’s quality policy is as follows:
• we will comply with the requirements applicable to us to ensure the international recognition of EMERA graduates and our research and development activities;
• we will implement a transparent management system operating on common principles and based on continual improvement, we will use modern management techniques and tools, we will be guided by risk-based and process-based thinking;
• we will strive to increase client satisfaction through client-centric action as well as understanding and meeting clients’ needs and seeking to exceed their expectations.

EMERA’s quality objectives are based on the quality policy as well as on process quality indicators and the corresponding monitoring results. EMERA’s quality objectives are set out in EMERA’s Operational Strategy.

2.2.2. Communicating the quality policy

EMERA’s quality policy is documented in this quality manual, which is available to all EMERA staff. For relevant interested parties, EMERA’s quality policy is also available on EMERA’s website. Familiarising new staff members with the quality management system, including the quality policy, is the responsibility of each staff member’s immediate superior.

2.3. Organisational roles, responsibilities, and authorities

The academic decision-making body of EMERA is the EMERA Council, the membership and powers of which are set out in EMERA’s statutes and the organisation of work of which is set out in the rules of procedure of the EMERA Council. The membership of the EMERA Council is approved by the Rector of the University for up to three years on the proposal of the Director of EMERA.

EMERA’s top management consists of the Director of EMERA and the Director’s deputies (vice-deans in the context of the University): the Study Director, the Director of Development, and the Quality Manager. In the context of the University, the Director of EMERA has all of the rights and obligations of a dean and a head of a department, except where otherwise provided in the statutes of the University or in the statutes of EMERA.
The advisory body to the Director of EMERA is the Directorate, the membership and organisation of work are set out in the rules of procedure of the Directorate. The members of the Directorate constitute EMERA’s management.

EMERA’s structure and the bases for the activities of its centres are approved by the Director. The bases for the activities of an EMERA centre establish the areas of activity, purpose, functions, structure, management, and the rules for holding of assets and financing of the centre.

The framework and structure, descriptions of the job (including duties and rights), and qualification requirements for posts on the staff of EMERA are set out in the relevant job descriptions. Each staff member has one job description – if necessary, various additional duties (e.g., duties related to the centre or programme management) are listed in the job description for the academic position.